By Lonnie Wheatley
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (August 25, 2022) – For the past 34 years, the pilgrimage to Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway for the nation’s top Sprint Car teams as well as fans is a well-entrenched tradition.
And there will be more bounty on the line for those competing at the 35th Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires that takes place on September 29 through October 1 at the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour sanctioned event.
Courtesy of MPV, the Saturday night STN championship finale winner’s share has been boosted to $15,041. Additionally, Buckaroo Hatters and Mike Moore have bumped up the back portion of the STN finale purse with a minimum of $1,000 to make the cut.
Reigning Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour champion Blake Hahn of Sapulpa, OK, has found the high-banked, ¼-mile I-30 Speedway clay oval to his liking in recent years by topping three of the last four renditions of the Short Track Nationals.
After going back-to-back in 2018 and 2019, Hahn made a lap 39 move past Jordon Mallett and then beat defending STN champ Sam Hafertepe, Jr., to the stripe for his third STN crown.
The triumph matched Steve Kinser’s three STN titles in the early years of the event while Hall of Famers Sammy Swindell and Gary Wright lead the way with five and four victories, respectively.
Other drivers with multiple STN wins include Paul McMahan and Tony Bruce, Jr., with single wins posted by the likes of Hafertepe, Jr., NASCAR star Christopher Bell, reigning World of Outlaws champion Brad Sweet, Jason Meyers, Jason Johnson, Tim Montgomery, Jason Sides, Mike Ward, Tim Crawley, Wayne Johnson, Pete Butler, Terry Gray and John Gerloff.
The 35th Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires kicks off with a Test ‘N Tune on Thursday, September 29 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
The racing action kicks into high gear with Friday’s preliminary action that culminates with a pair of $1,500-to-win feature events that lock in the first two finishers and sets the stage for Saturday’s finale that includes a full set of heat races that adds points to Friday’s totals to set STN finale feature lineups.
Pre-Entry Deadline
Pre-entries submitted by Tuesday, September 27, are $100 and include a free two-day driver pit pass. Entries after September 26 are $100 with no pit pass included.
The entry form is available at https://www.i-30speedway.com/downloads/get.aspx?i=760397.
The Pertinent Info:
The What: 35th Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires.
The Where: I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR). I-30 Speedway is located seven miles southwest of Little Rock off I-30 Exit 126 (Alexander Road).
The When: September 29 through October 1, 2022. (Test ‘N Tune on Thursday, September 29, followed by two full cards of racing action on September 30 and October 1).
The Format: Friday’s preliminary event will be contested under a derivative of the All Star Circuit of Champions format, with group qualifying establishing heat race lineups with an invert of four in each heat race. The Friday preliminary will conclude with “Twin 20’s”, a pair of $1,500-to-win 20-lap “A” Main events.
The top two from each of the “Twin 20’s” will be locked into Saturday night’s “Dash for Cash” and the championship main event.
Friday events points accumulated will be carried over to Saturday night, with another set of heats utilizing passing points added to the Friday total to set the championship feature lineups. The top two in combined points from Friday night and the Saturday heat races with join Friday’s four lock-ins in the Pack Building Materials “Dash for Cash”. The next eight in points will occupy STN championship feature positions 7-14 with the balance of the field in “B” and “C” Mains. Three will transfer from both “B” Mains to set the 20-car feature field. The 21st position is reserved for I-30 Speedway track champion Howard Moore should he find it necessary.
The Past Winners:
2021-Blake Hahn
2020–Sam Hafertepe, Jr.
2019-Blake Hahn
2018-Blake Hahn
2017-Sammy Swindell
2016-Sammy Swindell
2015-Rained Out
2014-Christopher Bell
2013-Sammy Swindell
2012-Paul McMahan
2011-Sammy Swindell
2010-Brad Sweet
2009-Tony Bruce, Jr.
2008-Tony Bruce, Jr.
2007-Jason Meyers
2006-Jason Johnson
2005-Tim Montgomery
2004-Gary Wright
2003-Gary Wright
2002-Paul McMahan
2001-Jason Sides
2000-Mike Ward
1999-Gary Wright
1998-Tim Crawley
1997-Wayne Johnson
1996-Pete Butler
1995-Gary Wright
1994-Terry Gray
1993-John Gerloff
1992-Rained Out
1991-Steve Kinser
1990-Sammy Swindell
1989-Steve Kinser
1988-Steve Kinser
The Tickets: Advance two-day tickets are $45.
Day of show prices are $20 on Friday and $30 on Saturday.
Children under 12 are admitted free on both nights courtesy of Dairy Queen.
To order tickets or for more information, check online at https://i-30speedway.com/short-track-nationals/ or call the track at 501-455-4567.
Pit passes are $40 on both Friday and Saturday. Driver pit pass for Friday and Saturday is included in the $100 entry fee if submitted by the deadline.
The Broadcast: If you can’t make it to the STN to catch all the breathtaking action in person, no need to fret as you can catch it all live online at www.floracing.com.
For more information regarding I-30 Speedway’s Short Track Nationals, check at www.i-30speedway.com or call the track at 501-455-4567.